Interior designer Kathryn LeMaster helps a Little Rock homeowner revive a house her family has called home for five generations

To live in a home that has housed five generations of your family would have been none too remarkable a century ago, but in 2015, it’s a true rarity. Little Rock-native Lynn Baker found herself in this fortunate position after inheriting her childhood home from her parents. “The house was built in 1930, and my dad’s family moved here in 1939, when he was 10,” Baker says. She goes on to explain that her father’s own grandparents also lived in the home with them during that time, and the house was then purchased by her parents after they were married. Additionally, she and her brother, along with his daughter (Baker’s niece), had both lived in the home at one time or another before it became solely hers.

Through all of those years and the numerous family-member residents, the house had only been renovated once—when her parents made an addition to it in the 1990s. “It was time for an update,” says Baker, who searched the Internet to find interior designer Kathryn LeMaster, whom she then hired. “I knew I wanted someone who was ASID (American Society of Interior Designers)-certified because my grandmother was a designer and was a member. Kathryn got right back to me and as they say, ‘the rest is history,’” Baker recounts. Considering both the home’s rich field of memories and the current owner’s needs, LeMaster crafted a thoughtful design that not only honors the past, but will also last for generations to come.

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

Collected and Curated

“We tried to do a mix of old and new,” LeMaster says of the approach she took to the design. “I didn’t sell everything and start over,” Baker adds. For instance, the paneling in the den is original to the home’s 1990s addition and stands in juxtaposition to newly acquired contemporary artwork and a clear, acrylic fan for an eclectic vibe. “The painting in the den was a found piece done by artist V. Noe,” LeMaster notes. “It was such a perfect fit that it looks like we had it commissioned.”

A number of the furnishings in the home were either family pieces that had been handed down through the years or ones that Baker brought from her previous residence. LeMaster worked with these existing elements while also infusing new life into the space with eye-catching fabrics and accessories. Perhaps this is most strikingly evident in the master bedroom, where an heirloom painting became the jumping off point for the room’s color scheme. Its various shades of yellow and gray inspired LeMaster to find similarly hued fabrics for the draperies and custom bedding.

Budget Wise

A combination of vintage and current selections weren’t the only design elements that pose a contrast. “We also layered in different items budget-wise,” LeMaster says. For example, Baker opted for a custom CR Laine sectional in the den, while the room’s ottomans were an inexpensive online find that were then reupholstered. These pieces, paired with antique side tables Baker already owned, create a mix of high and low.

Aside from the furnishings, it was also important to Baker to make functional changes that will prove to be a smart investment over time. “I want to be here for 20 years if I can,” she notes. With this in mind, LeMaster completely reworked the flow of the master bath to better serve Baker’s needs. “Originally, this was a Jack-and-Jill bath, so we closed off the second opening and created a private water closet. We also added built-in linen storage in that new space.” With these functional improvements, there also came some luxurious upgrades. “I splurged on heated floors. There are some places you want to spend your money, but others you can save, and I said let’s find a place to save it somewhere else,” Baker laughs. Other deluxe features include a bench in the shower, a television concealed in the side of the bath’s cabinetry tower, and a small vanity area for applying makeup.

Personal Preferences

Since her family has enjoyed such a rich history in the home, it was important to Baker to celebrate this, while still making the rooms her own. In the kitchen, new open shelving crafted from cypress boards offers a place to display sentimental figurines. Similarly, cabinetry panels that were set aside in the kitchen renovation were repurposed to create a small china cabinet for treasured pieces in Baker’s new home office (which was formerly the laundry room).

The palette in one of the home’s guest rooms is also indicative of Baker’s style. “She told me at the very beginning of the project that she definitely wanted a purple room. So that was the starting point,” LeMaster says of the lilac-hued walls and fabrics in the home’s front guest bedroom.

Carrying the refresh throughout the spaces, LeMaster also worked her magic on a charming porch that Baker used previously for storage. “She is such a green thumb, so she wanted a space that could be her workroom,” LeMaster says. “She had a vision of a garden oasis.” Working with contractor Tim Hankins, who came up with the idea of using a metal washtub for a creative and industrial take on a sink, the attached porch was transformed into a potting room. “She worked around my quirky requests,” Baker says, of her relationship with LeMaster—one which, perhaps, has resulted in a home with enough history and charm to last for another century.

Recent Blog Posts

Little Rock designer Krista Lewis of K. Lewis Interior Design has become known for her timeless, polished interiors over the past 17 years. She has now entered another stage of her residential design ...

After years of looking for the perfect hanging beds for the Antique Brick Outdoors showroom, colleagues Loren Layton and Megan Thomas decided to design their own. “We always get requests at Antique ...

Subscribe!

Start your subscription today!

At Home in Arkansas offers you a look inside the state's most inspiring homes. The magazine features monthly advice from the experts to help you plan your next remodel or redesign, entertain at home, or find Arkansas's best kept secrets. It is your definitive guide to the state's finest homes and gardens, design professionals, fashion and entertaining essentials, and premier shops and showrooms.